Trunk-catch.



J. S. CLARK.

TRUNK CATCH.

APPLICATION man Me. 1. 1912.

1,1'7'73929. Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

WOW $13 more STATES Pageant orrrcn;

JOSEPH S. CLARK, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

TRUNK-CATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 4L, 1916.

Application filed December 7, 1912. Serial No. 735,492.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH SPENCER CLARK, a citizen of the United. States, re-

siding at Baltimore, State of Maryland,

- thoroughly effective catch operating memi ill-the,- drawing -Jfign zed l t from e eber which, upon being subjected to a slight pressure in one direction, will swing the catch'member out of engagement with the hook of the latch, to permit of the opening of the top of the trunk with the slightest amount of physical exertion. I also propose to construct a device of this character which shall embody the desirable features of simplicity, cheapness of' construction,

which may be easily applied, and which will perform the function for which it is adapted with accuracy and with certainty.

With the above recited objects. in view, and others which will appear as the nature of the invention is more fully understood, the improvement resides in the construction, combination and operative arrangement of parts set forth in the followingdescription and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a satisfactory reduction of my invention to practice, but thelimportant "instrumentalities thereof may be varied, and so it is to be understood that I am not to be restricted to the precise structural details! showni and described, but [that I am entitled to all such changes in size, shape, material, etc., as fall within-the scope. of myaclaim s ala i'enaofea trunk at meats B er hn eh .i llaetiae trunk, and tie dotted mania iae lne the eh an e; smoo h he member. gtiithe o cha; hir gisifimtbe medium of my'imp'rovement, and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the hook member illustrating a further means of attaching my im provement thereto. I

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the" numeral 1 designates the body of the trunk, and 2 the top therefor. The top is hingodly connected with the trunk in the which may be designated by the numeral 6,

is provided with a slotted projection 7 which receives the hook 5. The member 3 may also have its upper edge formed with pockets 8 which are disposed to the oppo 7, the

site sides of the slotted extension said pockets receiving the lugs 9 which pro ject from the lower edge of the member l, and which are disposed to the opposite sides of'the-hook The lift member 4 may be, and preferably is, formed with the usual outwardly extending lifter 10, the opposite and lower walls of which terminate a suitable distance above the hook 5, and the body or plate of the member 4: may be provided with a' projection 11 which has its outer face centrally depressed to provide bendable fingers, such construction being illustrated in Figs l' and 2 of the drawing. The lifter 10 is so shaped as to act as a shield to prevent; accidental or, inadvertent .opeigationyotthe lever 12 as .will hereinafter 19 9 fitl v -expl Y t f I rhwrandl animate-a; mini; 9. ger 5 The neck may atttli qiti edewrtthgaiiti $titntlallyficectange lar opening 16 to provide for the reception of the member 11 of the element 4, and the fingers 15 are disposed to the opposite sides of the hook 5 when the member 12 is loosely arranged upon the lift member 4. After the member 11 is properly positioned upon the member 4, the fingers-provided'bv the projection 11 are bent in opposite directions over the neck 14 of the lever to loosely sustain the said lever upon the lift.

It will be noted by reference to the figures of the drawing that the body 13 of the lever 12 is of a size sufficient to permit of the free movement of the lever within the lifter 10 of the lift, and it will be readily noted that when the fingers 15 engage between the member 3 and the extension 7 of its spring catch 6, an inward pressure upon the upper portion or body of the lever 12 will swing the said lever upon the member 11 to bring the catch out of engagement with the hook 5, and thus permit of the swinging or opening of the top of the trunk. It will be further apparent that the lifter 10, surrounding the lever 12 protects the said lever from accidental contact, so that the trunk may be shipped or otherwise transported without danger of the accidental operation of the said lever, and still further the shield, provided by the said lifter 10, will prevent or assist in preventing any sidewise movement of the said lever 12.

By reference to Fig. 2 of the drawing it will be noted that the lever 12 is loosely connected with the member 4 beyond the center of the said lever, or, in other words, the upper portion Or body of the lever terminates a greater distance away from its pivotal connection with the shield than do the fingers of the said lever, and also that the upper portion of the lever is curved or bowed outwardly from its neck, as are also the extremities of the fingers '15. This arrangement permits of the upper portion or body of-the lever, when the fingers 15 thereof are contacted by the spring catch 6, being'tilted toward the front of the lifter 10, so that a person attempting to open the trunk will have his fingers contact with the lever to swing the same upon its loose connection.

with the member 4 and so disengage the spring catch 6 from the hook 5 and open the top of the trunk at a single operation;

- I desire that it be distinctly understood that I am not to be limited to the means whereby the lever 12 is connected with the lift member 4, and in Fig. 3 of the drawing I have illustrated the neck 14 of the said lever provided with perforated ears 17 which are adapted for the reception of a pintle 18 which passes through suitable openings provided in the lower side walls of the lifter 10. Such means of loosely connecting the lever with the lift being merely an illustration of one'of any number of various methods for sustaining the lever in operative position.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the

' 1. In combination with a latch embodying a hook member and a catch for engaging with the hook member, of a levertrunnione'd upon the hook member, said lever including a body portion which is curved outwardly and upwardly from the hook member and a finger arr anged below its trunnion and normally contacted by the catch of the latch;

2; The combination with a latch embodying a hook member and a catch forengaging with the hook member, of a lever mount- I ed upon the hook member andnormally en'- gaging with the catch of the latch, the body of the lever-being curved and disposed above the catch and the hook of the hook member.

1 3. In combination with a latch including a' hook member and a catch for engaging withthe hook of the hook member, of a lever a'ssociated' with the hook member and provided with an arm disposed in contacting position with the inner face of the catch of the latch, the body of thelever being arranged above the hook member and the catch. I o l 4. In a trunklatch, the combination with a spring pressed catch, second member provided with a hook whichis adapted to be engaged by said catch, earsupon said mem''-.

her, a release memberpsaid' release member including an oval-shaped head having'a dey pending portion arranged between said ears and a depending fingerwhich is adapted "to engage betwen said hook and catch and normally' contacted by said catch, whereby said release member is sustained in position. y

5. In a trunk catch, the combination with a hasp, of a cooperating fastening member engaged by said hasp, a lever mounted on said fastening member and engaging said hasp, and a shield around the free end of said lever to prevent accidental operation thereof. v

6. In a trunk fastener, the combination with a body member, of a cooperating lid member, a pivoted spring actuated 'hasp its operative loop carried by the body member, a retain- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature ing lug carried by said lid member to rein presence of two Witnesses. ceive said hasp 100p, and a lever carried by said lid member engaged by Said hasp JOSEPH CLARK- 5 loop when in locked position and adapted to Witnesses:

disengage said hasp loop from said lug by Jos. M. WARFIELD,

the outward movement of part of said lever. MARIE E. DAHN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. c." 

